Killing of Armed Forces general still a mystery
Killing of Armed Forces general still a mystery
JAKARTA (JP): The police remained silent yesterday on the killing of an Army brigadier general, found dead from severe stab wounds after a mysterious attack in East Jakarta on Monday evening.
Head of the investigation unit of the City Police Headquarters, Col. Gunawan, also the chief of the special team assigned to investigate the killing, refused to comment.
Police sources said that two suspects were arrested just hours after the slaying of Brig. Gen. TMF Tampubolon, 54, expert staff on economic affairs to the Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief and a former intelligence deputy assistant to ABRI's chief of general affairs.
At least two suspects, identified as Lukman and Budi, remain at large.
The arrested men are Hendri and Joko, nicknamed Yanto. The police say both are in their 20s, but have released no further information.
Tampubolon died at the UKI hospital in East Jakarta, half an hour after the attack at around 10 p.m. Monday at the crossroad of Jl Kebon Nanas in Cipinang Muara.
He died within two kilometers of his house at the Armed Forces' Diskum AD housing complex.
So far, witnesses have painted three versions of the events leading to the killing of the general, who drove alone in his official green Mitsubishi sedan that evening.
According to the first, Tampubolon was attacked by one of a group of young men after he smashed into another motorist.
The group, standing near the scene, saw the incident and shouted at him, asking Tampubolon to avoid crashing into other people.
Hearing the shouting, the general turned his car back towards the group.
He grabbed one of the loiterers by the collar and asked: "What did you yell at me just now?"
Beyond the general's expectation, the man, whose name has been withheld, pulled out a blade and repeatedly stabbed the general.
The second version has it that after the accident, the men approached Tampubolon and forced open his window. After a few seconds of heated argument, the general was stabbed.
No reports on the fate of the motorist who had the accident with Tampubolon was available.
Phone call
The third, more unusual theory of his death, suggests that Tampubolon left his house after a phone call. He was stopped by a group of drunken young men, who attacked him when he questioned their actions.
He was stabbed in the face, stomach and hands.
"I've nothing to say at this moment," said head of the East Jakarta police precinct, Lt. Col. Siswono Susilo, who accompanied Gunawan in questioning the two suspects.
A number of high-ranking Armed Forces officers were seen at the police precinct yesterday.
The sedan used by Tampubolon was kept at the precinct. Blood could be seen on the driver's seat.
Police also have the blade they say was used to kill the general.
Tampubolon, a father of five, will be buried in Bandung, West Java, today. (bsr)